Care for children with Cerebral Palsy:
The delightful children at the Centre we work with have more difficulties
learning, relaxing and playing than other children - and this is where
YOU come in!!
This is a truly worthwhile and rewarding project in the vibrant and
colourful world of China’s big city.
Are you looking for a wider perspective? You don't need any
qualifications to take part in this project. The centre says that "any
volunteer who has the heart to help children in need is most welcome"
A child with Cerebral Palsy has trouble controlling the muscles of the body.
Normally, the brain tells the rest of the body exactly what to do and when
to do it. But because Cerebral Palsy affects the brain, depending on what
part of the brain is affected, a child might not be able to walk, talk, eat,
or interact in the way most kids do.
The delightful children at the Centre where we work may have more difficulties
learning, relaxing and playing than other children - and this is where you
come in!! This is a truly worthwhile and rewarding project in the vibrant and
colourful world of Shanghai.
ABOUT THE CENTRE FOR CHILDREN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY: The Cerebral
Palsy Centre is a residential facility offering a world-first combination of
acupressure, physiotherapy and education to young children suffering from
Cerebral Palsy. Ms
Lieu, the founder of the centre, has Cerebral Palsy herself and was inspired to
open the centre in 1992. Over the years, she has treated dozens of children with
astounding results. She has been honored numerous times by the city of Shanghai
and received frequent press coverage.
The centre emphasizes helping others to help themselves. In doing so, they
develop their own set of values through their hard work. This is where you can
help! There are 30 beautiful children at the centre, and
they are all under 10 years old and waiting to meet you!
To read about the extensiveSupport & Backup we provide in our countries,
please click here.
Your work here will be to help the carers with the day to day running
of the centre and looking after the children. The staff at the centre
include doctors, nurses, teachers, therapists, cooks and administrators
and there are around 40 members of staff altogether. The staff at the
centre are keen for volunteers to get as involved as possible at the
centre, and so they will make every effort to train you up to help out
as much as your skills allow.
Your main duties will include:
Helping the children to eat and
look after themselves
Teaching English, Basic
Arithmetic, Music, Football and/or IT to the children, depending on
your skills
Helping with the children's
personal development and hygiene education
Helping the staff at the
centre design the curriculum
You can also get involved
behind the scenes, designing the centre's website, updating the
information and writing reports and articles for it.
If you
are trained in nursing or medicine, or have any similar
qualifications, the staff at the centre may also train you up so
that you can help out with the children's treatment plans.
The centre
is very busy, with a multitude of duties and responsibilities, so you will
probably be worked pretty hard in most areas – you won’t be bored! Your
work load and responsibilities will depend on you yourself and your
attitude to your work. More work and greater responsibility will become
available as you grow in confidence and in skill, and as the staff's
confidence in you increases.
"I just want to say what a
fantastic impression Jessie [Travellers
Organiser in Shanghai]
has made on me, even in these first few days. She's
so very enthusiastic and if there's anything you want, she'll do her
utmost to meet your need. She seems to reap a genuine delight from
helping, enlightening or amusing you." James Dodd
You will
usually work from Monday to Friday from 9:30am until 5pm. Your weekends and evenings will be free to relax or see
the sights of Shanghai with the other volunteers!
Cerebral = Of the brain
Palsy = Lack of muscle control
Cerebral Palsy
(CP) is a term used to describe a group of disorders affecting body
movement and muscle co-ordination. The medical definition of CP is
non-progressive but not unchanging disorder of movement and/or posture,
due to an insult to or anomaly of the developing brain.
Development of the brain starts in early pregnancy and
continues until about age three. Damage to the brain during this time
may result in CP. This damage interferes with messages from the brain to
the body, and from the body to the brain.
The effects of CP vary widely from individual to individual. At its
mildest, CP may result in a slight awkwardness of movement or hand
control. At its most severe, CP may result in virtually no muscle
control, profoundly affecting movement and speech.
Cerebral Palsy is:
NOT contagious
NOT hereditary
NOT life-threatening
NOT automatic mental retardation
If someone has CP, it does not necessary mean that
he/she is mentally retarded. People with CP enjoy satisfying careers,
university education, a social life and can become parents.
Can you
imagine how frustrating it must be to have only partial control of your
body? Patience, understanding, love and attention are required in this
centre, something that won’t be hard to supply in abundance when you see
these children! And of course, also pack your sense of humour and a
passion for adventure. This is an experience that will lend you a lifetime
of precious memories.
Cerebral Palsy in China It is estimated that there
are 310,000 children with cerebral palsy in China . The survival of low birth
weight infants is lower in China than in developed countries, and as the
survival of low birth weight infants improves the prevalence of CP will rise. In
China the percentage of babies born with CP runs from 0.18% - 0.59%, i.e. there
are approximately 5 babies with CP for every 1,000 babies born. Schools by law
are required to accept handicapped children. Unfortunately there is no
wheelchair access, no handicapped facilities in restroom; it is therefore
impossible for anyone with a physical handicap to attend a normal school.
Traditional Treatment CP is not considered to be a curable condition. Much, however, can be done to
lessen the effect of CP and to help people with CP to lead independent lives.
Treatment is guided by the symptoms exhibited and may include physical therapy,
occupational therapy, speech therapy, casts, splints, braces, appropriate
glasses and hearing aids, medications, special education and in severe cases,
orthopedic and soft-tissue surgery and/or institutionalization
Treatment at the Centre The centre
believes that each child should have an individualized treatment plan which
assesses the child's performance, sets goals and specifies which supports are
required. The key elements to minimizing the handicapping effects of CP are:
Proper management and treatment
An environment which give the children with CP a good sense of self-esteem.
To have educational opportunities and to have access to
recreational facilities and opportunities to develop friendship
In its treatment plans, the centre uses a mixture of
Acupressure (using a unique method pioneered by CereCare founder, Lu Shun Ling),
Conductive Education (CE) - a unique system of teaching and learning for
children with motor disorders, Occupation therapy, Physiotherapy, Speech therapy
and Hydrotherapy
YOUR ACCOMMODATION & FOOD
On this project you'll live at a Travellers Flat in Shanghai while on
your placement. The flat is typical Shanghai style and all the Work
Experience Volunteers live here together. The flat accommodates 5 people
maximum.
The flat has two bedrooms, one of
which is also often used as a lounge room, depending on how many
volunteers are living in it at the time you're there.
Owing to the vast population and shortage of space
in towns and cities, it is common practice in China that flats and
houses have no one room dedicated to be used as a lounge, so one of the
bedrooms is frequently used as a place to gather.
The Travellers flat also has a kitchen with washing
facilities and a bathroom.
You will eat lunch at the centre and
be provided with a meal budget for breakfast and dinner. You can buy
these meals from one of the many delicious restaurants around the flat,
or prepare it yourself in the flat's kitchen using ingredients from the
nearby street markets or supermarkets!
TRAVEL
You have the option to arrange your
own flights or we can assist you with your flight arrangements. If you would
like us to do this for you, we will liaise with you regarding available flights
and dates to suit you. All arrangements for your flight bookings/payments will
be fulfilled by Murray Rogers Travel Ltd., ATOL No. 6856. (Read more about Murray Rogers Travel Ltd.)
Where possible, we arrange for two or more people to travel on the
same flight and we will let you have the names and telephone numbers of other
volunteers on your flight, so that you can chat to each other or even meet up
before leaving for your placement.
VISAS:. We'll send you all the necessary forms and
information and make the process very easy for you.
You will fly into Shanghai, where you'll be
met by our Shanghai Organiser or one of her staff. From the
airport you'll be taken to the flat and introduced to your
host organisation.
Where possible, all flights we arrange for you have changeable return tickets because many of our
volunteers choose to extend their stay once they are in their destination
country.
Changeable return tickets enable you to do so, within the limits of your visa
and the level of your air ticket,
of course. If you choose to book your own flights, you should endeavour to get
a changeable ticket.
PRICES:
To see the Prices of this project and all
our other projects in China, please
click here
Prices
include
Food & accommodation while on your project,
2 T-shirts, if required
for your project
All support and backup
during your programme
Meeting you at the
nearest airport, where appropriate, but exclude international travel.
.
+44 01903 502595
